Last month I was lucky enough to have the chance to attend the TECHmunch Tampa Food Blogger Conference in Ybor City. TECHmunch is a series of conferences in cities around the United States designed to help food bloggers gain the hands-on digital media, marketing, and business skills they need to make their blogs more personally and financially rewarding. BakeSpace.com Founder, Babette Pepaj, started the conferences to further her mission to help communities grow and to provide a personal conference where bloggers can learn from panelists who have found success and have valuable information to share.

The event spanned two days and started with a mixer at Sono Cafe at the Tampa Museum of Art in Downtown Tampa on a Friday evening. We enjoyed some Hors d’oeuvres from crostinis to paninis and a bar as we met our fellow Florida food bloggers and panelists and learned about the many things that we all have in common as well as our specialties. It was an enjoyable evening and we stayed well past the end of the mixer and continued chatting with our new found friends into the night. The best part was that we all have a message or story we want to tell and we were all excited to learn the tools of the trade at this conference.

Sono Cafe is a great place to have a mixer with an outdoor view of Curtis Hixon park and the beautiful University of Tampa. I would recommend it to anyone looking to plan a professional mixer. Here are some photos of the great food we enjoyed:

Checkout a recap of our night via tweets here: http://storify.com/carloseats/techmunch-tampa-pre-mixer

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The next morning we woke up bright and early and headed to the Roosevelt 2.0 (which also hosted Real Food Real Joel earlier in the week) for the food blogger conference. The Roosevelt 2.0 hosts many great local events and the room was a nice backdrop for yet another rally into Tampa’s rising food scene. Check out some of the tweets from the opening here: http://storify.com/carloseats/techmunch-tampa-opening

Datz Deli served us with an excellent breakfast with biscuits, fresh strawberry jam, and Nutella – all which were fantastic. In addition, they also prepared their iced coffee which kept us all wired for the entire day of food blog learning. It was my friend time having some food from Datz Deli and I loved it! I cannot wait until I finally have the chance to visit Datz in the future.

TBO Food Critic, Jeff Houck, opened up the event as our local organizer and expressed his desire to see the local food community grow and for Tampa to become a leading food city in the U.S.A. I completely agree that it is possible if we come together as a community and support our local businesses and work together. TECHmunch was a great start for that.

The first panel was “Tapping and Leveraging Food Trends in Tampa Bay”. Todd Sturtz from Tasting Tampa, Julius Mayo Jr. from Droolius, Brian Roberts from Roosevelt 2.0, and Eric from TV Fanatic shared their experiences and plans regarding food trends. Todd and Julius have been very involved in the rising food truck trend that has swept over most of Florida and been leaders in embracing the movement. Tampa is normally a few years behind food trends, but it also has to do with coverage and Tampa’s attitude about food. Without the support of the people it simply cannot thrive to the levels of other popular cities. I made sure to record all the tips from each panel and you can read a recap on the first panel tips here: http://storify.com/carloseats/techmunch-tampa-panel-1

The second panel was “Developing, Organizing, and Syndicating Multimedia Content”. The hosts were Sara O’Donnell from Average Betty (checkout her awesome YouTube channel), Merry-Jennifer Markham from the Merry Gourmet, and Sandy McKenna from Midlife Road Trip.  They shared their technical tips in addition to tips for dealing with a busy blog schedule and how to set your blog on a path to success. Read their great tips here: http://storify.com/carloseats/techmunch-tampa-panel-2

The third panel was truly a treat and was “Down and Dirty about SEO Food Writing” by Josh Unseth, an SEO expert from The JAR Group. I think one of the toughest things about having a blog is learning the SEO tips behind it. There is so much information out there and so many articles about how to increase your followers or get subscribers and many of them actually share little information. Not the case with Josh! He shared many tricks of the trade and facts/websites that I have never heard about prior to this conference. I was so grateful to him for providing so many tips. #TECHmunch also started trending in Tampa during this panel which was awesome! I made sure to tweet plenty and save the tweets for you guys to get the SEO tips of the trade! Read them here: http://storify.com/carloseats/techmunch-tampa-panel-3

After our SEO enlightenment lunch arrived with the Tampa Taco Bus paying us a visit in the food truck with Mr. Rene himself! He told us some of his history with restaurants and food before lunch came. They served us tostadas and two tacos with rice and beans. All were great! I thought it was appropriate and truly a great thing to have one of Tampa Bay’s most popular and quickly growing restaurants as a part of the conference.

Mmm.

All this great food left us stuffed!

The fourth panel after lunch featured the topic with “Pitching Your Brand: Lessons from the Pros”. I was excited to finally meet Jaden from Steamy Kitchen (I followed her blog long before starting my own) and also got great advice from Ray Lampe from Dr. BBQ, Laura Baddish from The Baddish Group, and Jeff Houck from the Tampa Tribune. They shared advice on how to get noticed and how to get involved with PR, Media, and how to get value from your brand. Great advice from food insiders was provided. Read some tweets about the panel here: http://storify.com/carloseats/techmunch-tampa-panel-4

The fifth panel was about “The Future of Food Content…The Digital Kitchen”. We learned about making apps and some of the challenges and rewards that await you should you choose to explore this new technological path that is being increasingly used everyday as our society makes shifts to smartphones and tablets. Babette shared many of her own experiences in developing applications. In addition, Steve and Tom from Grilling Companion shared their story of how they became involved in this new technology. Checkout some of the tips here: http://storify.com/carloseats/techmunch-panel-5

After the fifth panel, TBO shared an announcement about their upcoming changes to their website. You can see their new Food section layout here and I am so grateful to them for linking to Carlos Eats! http://www2.tbo.com/life/food/

Our final, but certainly not least, panel was about something essential to sharing food experiences: “Top 10 Tips to Boost Your Site’s Photography” by Susan Filson from Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy. She shared many tips with us about how to improve our photography and also many websites and tools that can boost photo quality. I saved all ten tips and you can read them all here: http://storify.com/carloseats/techmunch-tampa-panel-6-7

After the panel ended, we chatted with all our new friends about all the great information we had learned. It had been a weekend filled with knowledge and tools for us to improve our blogs and reach new heights. I am very thankful to Babette Pepaj, Jeff Houck, and to all the great panelists for executing such a fantastic event in Tampa! It was great connecting with bloggers from new to experienced and I look forward to continuing this blogger community growth and to the future growth for Tampa food blogs and restaurants!

Thank you so much to everyone and thank you TECHmunch for the great experience.

40 restaurants are getting together on Saturday, May 26th for Tampa’s first Cuban Sandwich Festival at the Ybor City Saturday Market from 10:30am-4:30pm. Ybor City Streets will be closed in honor of the Tampa Cuban Sandwich (it’s official)! The event is FREE and presented by Latin Times Media, although patrons are encouraged to help support baby Emberlynn, a 6-month miracle baby who has been born with Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).

Current competitors for Best Cuban Sandwich include: Alessi Bakery, Mata Monchies, Mr. Empanada , La Teresita, Stone Soup Company, Gaspar’s Grotto, Franks & Subs, Cacciatore Brothers, Danny’s All American Grill, Cafe Masaryktown – Hernando County, Silver Ring Café, Cuban Guys – Broward County, NY Cafe- Pinellas County, Ofelia’s Café, the Floridian and MORE!

A Kid Zone will be at the event with clowns, jumpers, face painting, and more so be sure to bring the family to this event. Live music will be provided by Hansel of Hansel y Raul (more information here) in addition to other live performers, entertainers, and Zumba. Judges for the competition include Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, Tampa Chief of Police Jane Castor, Richard Gonzmart of the Columbia Restaurant, and more.

I don’t know about you, but I am excited for this great upcoming event and look forward to trying all the great sandwiches on May 26th.

See you there

Event name: Cuban Sandwich Festival

Date & Time: May 26th, 2012. 10-30am-4:30pm

Address: 1800 E. 8th St. Ybor City, FL

Contact for Exhibit and Sponsorship: Jolie@Latin-Times.com or Vpadilla@Latin-Times.com (813) 407-6866 or (813) 407-719.

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/events/284524998285527/

If you’re trying to find out where the fiestas in Tampa Bay are occurring this weekend for Cinco de Mayo, here is a quick run-down of events and specials I have found at local restaurants that I would recommend.

Casa Tina – Enjoy and inside and outside street party in this Dunedin favorite on Cinco De Mayo. Cirque performers will be present in addition to a 22′ puppet parade and a lantern parade after dark. Mexican singer Lily Cortes and salsa band Orquest Infinidad will provide live music at the event and basic salsa dance lessons will be provided by Simone Salsa. There is much more to come at this great event this weekend. Event link 365 Main St. Dunedin, FL 34698

Luna’s Mexican Restaurant – This Brandon Mexican restaurant will be offering 5 for $15 mix and match buckets for Cinco de Mayo in addition to $3.50 12 oz bottles of select Mexican beers such as Corona. If you’re out on this side of the woods you may want to check out Luna’s. 5924 Providence Rd. Brandon, FL 33511

Miguel’s Mexican Seafood and Grill – Live music will be keeping the party going at Miguel’s this weekend from May 4th-May 6th. $3 Coronas will be available on Cinco de Mayo. Live music guests include Shaun Hopper, Betty Fox, Razing Stone, and Drunk Monkey’s. 3035 W. Kennedy Blvd. Tampa, FL

Red Mesa Cantina – Their 4th annual Cinco de Mayo Fiesta Week will feature Jeremy Thomas band from 4-8PM  and Roberto Debourg and The Flats (9pm-close). Five complete bars, live bands, tented and open-air plazas for non-stop Cinco de Mayo fun. Don Julio Shots $6, Cadillac Margaritas $8. Event link 128 3rd St. St Petersburg, FL 33701

Vallarta’s Mexican Restaurant – My personal choice for some great tacos de carne asada will feature a live DJ and Happy Hour specials this weekend for Cinco de Mayo. 13731 N. Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33618

Good luck out in the town at these great fiestas this weekend!

As you have probably already guessed from my website, I love visiting exciting restaurants and trying new dishes and cuisines. I have tried a whole range of ethnic dishes, from Chinese to Thai food and I have shared many of my experiences with you all on my website.

However, not everyone is lucky enough to have a variety of ethnic restaurants on their doorstep. This is why so many people love to visit food markets because there is normally a huge selection of freshly cooked foods from all over the world. If you feel like breaking free of your traditional Saturday afternoon activities – which normally involves getting your pals together to play Party Poker over a takeaway pizza – then visiting an oriental restaurant is just what you need to give your taste buds a real treat. Alternatively, why not try cooking your very own ethnic meal like Thai for example? This will get you more familiar with the type of ingredients used in Thai dishes. Below is a simple Thai recipe you are sure to enjoy cooking.

Ingredients: 
2 chicken fillets
1 sweet potato
1 red pepper
A can of coconut milk
Green Thai curry paste
A handful of Spinach

Method: 
1. Begin by peeling and chopping the sweet potato. Boil in some water until they are almost done, then drain and leave to one side.
2. Then fry the chicken and the pepper and add in one teaspoon of curry paste. Next, pour in the coconut milk and stir well.
3. Leave to simmer for 10 minutes then add in the spinach and the sweet potato. Wait until the potato has finished cooking and the spinach has wilted before serving.
4. Serve with Jasmine rice and salad.
Tip: You can make this dish healthier by using skinless chicken. However, it may dry out more quickly so keep a close eye on it. You could also exchange the coconut milk for light coconut milk or even use low fat yogurt.

This Friday, May 4th is the first Burger Showdown in Downtown Tampa at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park from 6:30-9:30PM. Restaurants will battle to decide who has the best burger in Tampa Bay. The event is a benefit fundraiser for The Tampa Riverwalk. There will be live music at this great event as well. Restaurants competing include Burger 21, Square 1 Burgers, Stacked Burgers, Lee Roy Selmon’s, BGR, Ashley Street Grille, Danny’s All-American Diner, Green Iguana, Datz, Marriot, Aramark, and Chili’s. I get hungry just looking at that list. Tickets are $35 in advance, and $55 at the gate. You can buy tickets here: http://burgershowdown.org/tickets.html

More information on the event: http://burgershowdown.org/

I had the great opportunity to attend the Real Food Real Joel farm-to-table event at the Roosevelt 2.0 in Ybor City on April 19th. Chipotle and the Tampa Urban Food Forum invited me to the event (normal tickets were at least $100 and it was sold out as well) which starred farming celebrity Joel Salatin as a guest speaker and was supported by at least 40 local organizations and businesses. I wasn’t quite sure why Chipotle was involved with this event, but learned much about Chipotle and about the local farming and growing Slow Food movement in Tampa Bay. Chipotle chose to send me because of my status as a USF student and the event organizers were actually live-streaming the event to promote the event to students as well.

A gift from Chipotle which is currently growing in my home. Chipotle sponsored an essay contest on real food and the top essays were compiled into the booklet below the gift.

I will admit I was a little nervous about how the food would taste. Taking on this event was a jump into a new territory of food for me and I am happy to say that all the food severed was phenomenal! I never knew fresh farm grown food could taste as crazy good as it did. Local chefs and farmers came together to create a beautiful product at this dinner and Joel Salatin is truly an eloquent speaker as well. He has many fans locally in Tampa and a painting drawn at the Roosevelt 2.0 of Joel earlier in the evening sold at $950 for auction to benefit the local farming community in Tampa Bay.

The artist a few minutes before the event as he worked to complete this work of Joel Salatin.

Dinner was served before Joel took the stage. The first course started us with two salads.

This salad was a warm-up and fresh as can be – packed with goat cheese. I loved the cheese and ate it up before the first creation came.

This salad consisted of Sezchuan miso eggplant, grilled bok choy, chili picked radish, sake anise soaked oranges, and bottagra. Chef Ferrel Alvarez from Cafe Dufrain was the master behind this creation. I have to say I have never tasted such amazing oranges (maybe it is time to start soaking my oranges in sake?). Everything was great and a great introduction for the next course.

Now this course simply swept my feet away. A Vietnamese style porchetta with chile-cinnamon butternut squash, lemongrass-salt, pepper peaches, and coriander fingerling salad. Greg Baker from The Refinery presented this dish…man I have never tasted pork so tender and so packed with flavor with what appeared to be simple. By looking at it you just cannot grasp how great this course was. I cannot even give it justice in words, I just hope I can someday experience this dish again.

This final course was the perfect finale to the meal. It was created by Byron Gabel from the Grand Hyatt Resort. It is a blueberry goatcheese flaugnarde with sweet basil ice cream and crispy tuille. What was really interesting was when I took the first bite of the exterior, I wasn’t sure what was inside this dessert. The inner layer then hits the palate just right and provided a flawless ending to this great meal I experienced at Roosevelt 2.0 for Real Food Real Joel. Before Joel had even taken the stand to speak, I was already ready to hear more about the Slow Food movement and local food after experiencing these great dishes that were all made using local farmers, food, and ingredients.

The head of the Suncoast Food Alliance opened the floor for Joel Salatin. What was really great about this event was learning about the local push for locally-grown products and one fact relayed during this speaking event was that “Every dollar spent within the community is turned over 7 times”. During these tough times for Tampa Bay after the real estate crash, we have to start brainstorming new ways to keep the community thriving to help makeup for the growth we have lost as a community. We watched a short video produced by Chipotle with the beat of Coldplay’s “The Scientist” set to the discussions of the evening called “Back to the Start” – you can watch it here.

After the video, Joel Salatin took the stage and began his list of things he hopes to see. He discussed the issues with the way our current food industry runs and his hopes for a better food industry and for a better appreciation by the people who decide what they will consume. Joel rejects the notion that some people say he is an elitist for promoting local food and farming that can in some cases cost more, but he brought up the excellent point that people should value what they put into their bodies.

He told us about how his pig farm became involved with Chipotle as Chipotle has made steps to move in the direction of slow food and to support local farming. Chipotle expected to use more than 10 million pounds of produce from local farms in 2011. Chipotle is still in the process of trying to find the best profitable way to make this work, but they are trying their best as a national restaurant chain to own up to providing their customers with quality items and have worked with Joel in the past and found that customers reacted extremely well to the local farming products and demanded more (just as I did earlier tonight). I agree with Joel that it is great to at least see Chipotle trying, while many of their competitors won’t even consider exploring the option.

Joel shared some of his beliefs including that he believes it is better to eat food first available before 1900 to avoid many of food issues you find today and his belief that farmers should be more appreciated by our society than is currently the case. It’s true – as food has become mass produced by large corporations – farming has lost its focus in society. Joel went through the rest of his list and I really thought about how much little information I knew about this prior to this event.

The farm-to-table was very educational, but I wanted to know more and I think for more people to get involved it is important to branch out of the group and reach a bigger audience. I was happy to pickup a copy of The Local Dirt which was started by Ferrel Alvarez from Cafe Dufrain with that mission. Browsing through the pages you can learn all about your local farms and this food movement. I think local publications like this can be a great way to connect with people. While it is true that we do live in a fast-paced society, I think what is most important is just to be informed – so we can at least have the choice in making the decision that is part of our values. You can read the magazine online for free so I would invite anyway interested in this post to check it out and tell some friends and family about it. I thank all these great people involved in this evening for making me more aware and for hosting such a great event.

The Sea Grapes Fine Wine and Food Festival is this Saturday, April 28th, at the Florida Aquarium in Channelside District from 8-11PM. The event benefit’s the Aquarium’s education and conservation programs including sponsored admissions for underserved youth, sea turtle rehabilitation, seahorse conservation and coral farm propagation.

Event attendees will be able to sample more than 100 wines provided by Total Wines and More, dine on cuisine from 25 bay area restaurants, bid on an auction, enjoy live jazz music and entertainment throughout the aquarium and explore all aquarium exhibits. I was fortunate to win some tickets in a contest with Visit Tampa Bay and am extremely excited to be attending this event. Photos from last year are posted here: http://on.fb.me/JGXKsb

You can purchase tickets here: https://ezticket.flaquarium.org/Events/Seagrapes2012.aspx

The official website for the event is here: http://www.seagrapes.org/

This Friday is Kaleisia Tea Lounge’s 7th Anniversary Celebration from 6:30-9:30PM. I have been visiting since about 2008 and have always had a great time there and been treated well by their employees. There will be live music, raffles, a slideshow, and FREE cake!  Special music performances will be made by Algorhythm Sky (more here). Here are some fun photos from last year: http://on.fb.me/IkvUAs

Kaleisia has always been supportive of local initiatives and student organizations and through the fundraising Fridays they have been donating proceeds to local charities and not-for-profit organizations this year. As a community supporter, I am happy that they have made it to 7 years of success and here is to many more.

Facebook event link: https://www.facebook.com/events/137647909699870/

My interest in wine has grown greatly since the beginning of Carlos Eats. Wine is such an important part of the food industry and learning about the pairing throughout many events has increased my appreciation for sommeliers and wine culture. Last Wednesday I dined at Cru Cellars for a blogger dinner they invited me to. It was not the first time I heard of Cru Cellars, but I jumped at the opportunity after hearing favorable things from other local foodies in Tampa Bay. I was joined by Tampa Wine Woman, Family Foodie, and Tasting Tampa.

We were presented with a 5-course meal created by Chef Josh Burton. Live music was arranged with dim-lighting to set the mood for us. The first part of the meal was a cheese plate and consisted of jasper cheddar and St. Agur blue cheeses serve with jam and toasted crostinis.

I really loved these two chesse choices and the jam was excellent! The wine pairing choice was Domaine Giachino Alteste, Roussette de Savoie, France. A fine paring to start the night off and what really defined the great experience at Cru Cellars: excellent wine pairings.

The next course featured a roasted garlic Hummus with feta on fresh crostini and a roasted mushroom ruschetta with shaved parmesan.

I loved the hummus. It hit the palate just right and the mushrooms were amazing. I love mushrooms, but there have been times when mushrooms have been underwhelming, not true here though. I could have had a huge jar filled with those mushrooms and been happy. The wine pairing for this course was Paul Bouchard Macon, Chardonnay, France.

This course had an excellent roasted bone marrow with roasted garlic topped with a salad of fresh parsley, capers, shallots, and lemon juice and toasted crostini. It was my first time having bone marrow and this was a great introduction. It was finger-licking good. The salad that accompanied it was also great. The salad consisted of roasted beer, goat cheese, and arugula salad with crispy prosciutto, fresh dill, toasted pumpkin seeds, orange segments, and balsamic reduction. A delicious mixture that made me love beets (normally I cannot stand beets). The wine pairing was Provenza Gropello, Garda, Italy.

We then moved on to the third course which was a roasted mushroom orzo featuring roasted grape tomatoes and Parmesan cheese. Once again the mushrooms left me very impressed. The steak, eggs, and polenta that came with it was excellent. It was a pan seared skirt steak and came topped with fresh parsley and basil chimichurri. The wine pairing was Baileyanna Pinot Noir, Edna Valley, California.

After finishing this plate we were surprised and delighted to learn that dessert would be on the way. This dessert would be something special.

Crème brûlée was the dessert of the evening and my favorite part of the meal. The dessert was light and did not have that strong sugary taste that crème brûlée often features. Every last bite was enjoyable and I have raved to family and friends everyday since I tried this dessert at Cru Cellars. The wine pairing of Heinz Eifel Beerenausleseas (thanks Family Foodie!) was equally enjoyable and I hope to have this wine in my home soon!

Dessert left a strong impression and brought an end to one delicious blogger dinner at Cru Cellars. Lucky for you – I have been provided a $25 Cru Cellars gift card to giveaway here on Carlos Eats. The contest will run until May 4th and you can enter in the box below. Thank you to Cru Cellars for the excellent dinner and I look forward to my next visit for some great food and wine.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Restaurant Name: Cru Cellars

Cuisine: Wine Bar

Neighborhood: South Tampa

Address: 2506 S. MacDill Ave. Tampa, FL 33629

Phone Number:  (813) 831.1117

Price Range: $$ (10-15 per plate)

Website: http://www.crucellarstampa.com/

This Thursday, April 26th, will be the first food truck pod at USF at 5:30PM. Exciting stuff for students who love the food truck action, but haven’t been able to visit one because of the lack of proximity to campus. The event will take place at Felicitous, a local coffee shop on 51st Street which is just off Fowler Avenue near campus.  Address is 11706 North 51st  St. Tampa, FL 33617.

Chef Chad Johnston from SideBern’s and Chef Eric Lackey from Flame Stone American Grill competed last week to determine who has the best steak-grilling skills in town in an event sponsored by Kingsford charcoal. Customers outside the Wal-Mart on North Dale Mabry Highway were able to sample steaks made by the chefs and then vote with their toothpick for the best steak.  At the end of the match the victor was Flame Stone American Grill which captured the votes of many passerby customers. The event in Tampa was just one of many occurring around the country and 8 chef finalists will compete in New York on May 22nd.

Kingsford has provided me with some gear sporting their brand including hats, cup holders, and a sweater. You can look for an opportunity to win those soon on Carlos Eats.

Credit: My food blogging friend Tracy Guida

The happy Flame Stone chef who will move on to New York.

The 29th Annual Celebration of Asian-Pacific American Heritage called Asia Fest will occur on Saturday, April 28th, 2012 at 11:00 AM inside  Cotanchobee Park located in the Channelside District. Entrance is FREE and there will be a number of performances and cultural shows at the event. Local Asian food vendors normally set up shop around the event and sell a variety of food to the public. The event is sponsored by Bright House Networks, Asia Trend Magazine, Asian American Journalists Association, and a number of other business organizations.

For more information visit: http://www.asiafest-tampabay.com/

During my visit to St. Armand’s Circle this past weekend, my parents and I were surprised to spot a new Mexican restaurant in the area.  Interested, we decided to give it a shot a few hours after visiting Tommy Bahama. The outside of the restaurant only says Mexican restaurant, we learned the name of the restaurant when we sat at the bar which had a Budweiser sign glowing with the restaurant name: La Malinche.  The bartender greeted us and informed us it was his first day. We soon found out why he was previously unemployed.

My parents and I decided to order some tacos and some drinks. I decided to have the Tacos al Pastor which consists of 4 tacos filled with marinated pork, onions, and pineapples with cilantro and onions on the side ($12.95). The tacos come with rice. The bartender had a comment for every step of our order and was completely passive-aggressive towards the party throughout the meal. The food came out lightning quick, we did not wait for longer than five minutes for our food and it was warm.

I was surprised with how great the tacos were. The tortillas tasted freshly made and the pork was seasoned perfectly. The pineapples were a great pair for the pork with the cilantro and onions. The rice tasted like canned rice as did the beans we ordered on the side, however the overall taste of the meal was great. After we received our food things took a turn for the worst.

The entire restaurant ran out of Coca-Cola (which everyone in my party was drinking – either in a mixed alcoholic beverage or as regular soda). Instead of the bartender offering anything else to drink, he simply went on his way and when questioned about the drinks only replied that they were searching other restaurants for soda donations. We had some salsa chips at our table which combined with salty Mexican food made lacking a beverage just uncomfortable.

I finally grabbed the attention of the bartender and asked him if they had anymore horchata. He had no clue what that was and brought me a liquor menu. In the middle of this conversation, a waitress approached us with some tacos looking for whose they were. The bartender leaped for joy because he was hungry and this was his. He then grabbed his food and marched to the back, completely ignoring the fact that I was in the middle of asking for a drink. When he came back to the bar he pretended like it never happened.

Luckily, another employee eventually grabbed me something to drink since apparently this bartender had no intentions of doing his job  and now I know why the majority of the Foursquare tips and Urbanspoon reviews for this restaurant denounce the service here. What I found to be particularly funny was that the restaurant itself has reviewed itself on Urbanspoon four times with stellar reviews each time. They aren’t shy, their username is even “La Malinche”. How blatant.

After this service debacle, I doubt I will ever return to La Malinche and if I ever did it would most certainly be a takeout order. The high prices certainly don’t reflect the quality of the service. The restaurant has almost been in the circle for a year so I think it’s time for them to fix this issue. It’s really a shame because the food there is great, if only they could hire better employees and have better management.

Restaurant name: La Malinche

Cuisine: Mexican

Neighborhood: St. Armand’s Circle

Address: 40 S Blvd.Of Presidents Sarasota, FL 34236

Phone Number: (941) 388-4444

Website: http://www.lamalincherestaurant.com/

My Aunt celebrated her 39th birthday dinner at Tommy Bahama in St. Armand’s Circle this past weekend. It’s been a few years since my last visit to Tommy Bahama and from what I could remember the buzz about it was the mixed beverages that my family adored. This time around no one was drinking, they saved that for later excursions in St. Armand’s Circle. The menu had a few options that caught my eye, but I was feeling a burger so I decided to order their Smokehouse Angus Burger ($13.50) with crab bisque ($6.50) as an appetizer. My Step-Dad ordered the same thing. I ordered mine medium and him well-done. I had a hunch this was going to be a problem, but hoped the waiter would make sure to get the right one out.

The complimentary bread that came out first looked incredibly delicious at a glance. When you actually tear into it, it doesn’t have much flavor. The butter they serve with it is a cinnamon-flavored butter that is very sweet and turned off some of my fellow diners. I have no problem with sugar and found it satisfactory.

The crab bisque was amazing. It didn’t last more than a few minutes before it disappeared off my bowl. I almost liked it better than lobster bisque (my favorite soup on Earth next to clam chowder from Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco).  The portion pictured is their small portion. Certainly a generous helping for a small. My sister ordered the chicken lollipops for an appetizer which were great and tasted like BBQ ribs.

When the main entrees came the waiter accidentally confused my burger and my Step-Dad’s burgers. If this would have been something more expensive (such as a steak) then I would have sent it back, but since it was just a burger we decided to proceed forth with our meal. The toppings on this burger were excellent, but were offset by the fact that my burger was well-done and burnt charcoal. In contrast, my Step-Dad learned burger meat served medium is the way to go.

Some of the entrees my family enjoyed:

Dessert was an assortment of cakes my Aunt chose. A rich chocolate cake and a coconut concoction. Both were delicious and the chocolate was rich with a base of what tasted like brownies. The server was quick to get refills to the table and the wait for the meals wasn’t a problem.

Overall, Tommy Bahama is a nice restaurant to have some seafood and American choices if you have the money to spend. The restaurant is filled with windows and certainly fits what I would imagine to be a Florida vibe. My personal favorite restaurant in St. Armand’s Circle is The Columbia (which we visited later for some sangria and drinks).

Restaurant name: Tommy Bahama

Cuisine: Seafood, American

Neighborhood: St. Armand’s Circle

Address: 300 John Ringling Blvd. Sarasota, FL 34236

Phone Number: (941) 388-2888

Website: http://www.tommybahama.com/TBG/Stores_Restaurants/Sarasota.jsp

Carlos Eats has been nominated on Channel 10′s A-List for Best Local Blogger.

If you would like to help me in the polls visit my page at: http://tampacityvoter.dealchicken.com/carlos-eats/biz/645916

Thanks again for your support! Make sure to vote in the food categories for your favorite local restaurants and eateries.

I spent many days in South Korea dreaming of the delicious chicken sandwiches at Cuenelli’s. I even visited a Peruvian restaurant in Seoul hoping for a similar dining experience, but failed to find anything like it. Now I’m back in Tampa and can enjoy Cuenelli’s once again! I ran into the owner a few weeks ago and she invited me in for a complimentary dinner on the house. I, of course, accepted! The new location is still a bit of a hike from my house in a suburb of Brandon, but I’ll take it over it being halfway around the Earth.

We started our meal with two appetizers: the Papa a la Huancaina and the Ceviche. The first to arrive was the Huancaina. The name of the dish comes from the Peruvian highland city of Huancayo. The potatoes and sauce were excellent! I’m happy to say that the spiciness always perfectly hits the tongue. I have never been adverse to the taste of this delicious appetizer. I need to learn how to make this delicious salad someday.

The Peruvian Ceviche arrived next. Filled with my favorite vegetable: onions. The Peruvian version of this popular dish is spicy and brings a whole new level of flavor that I personally enjoyed. The pumpkin and corn served with it was a great addition. Fun fact: Peru has a national holiday declared in the honor of ceviche.

My friend and I disputed whether we should have the unique Cuenelli’s chicken sandwich or a steak. After a few minutes we decided to order both and split it between the two of us. Indeed, we had quite an appetite for some tasty Cuenelli’s food. Both arrived together to the table.

The chicken sandwich was exactly as I remember. Moist on the inside and packed full of flavor in a way that few places I have visited can hope to replicate. The yellow spice sauce they serve with it makes it even better. The homemade-style fries are always a nice finish to this dish.

The Bistec a lo Pobre was a great finishing to our meal. Egg yolk and plantains are always a good combination with rice and beans (a staple for Puerto Ricans). The steak itself was tender and flavorful. During days when I felt down or unwell, this meal was always a great pick-me-up and helped me feel energized again. If the meal proves to be too much for one sitting, a reheated version is just as good (some people might even say better).

Overall, it was great to taste the dishes at Cuenelli’s again and I am happy they are finding success in Tampa. I hope they have many more years of success and I look forward to returning for some delicious entrees in the near future and introducing more friends to Peruvian cuisine.

Restaurant name: Cuenelli’s Peruvian Restaurant

Cuisine: Peruvian

Neighborhood: Northwest Tampa

Address: 4801 W. Hillsborough Ave. Tampa, FL 33416

Phone Number:  (813) 888-8790

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Cuenellis

Flicks and Food Trucks is next Thursday, April 19th, 2012 from 6PM-10PM at The Grand Central at Kennedy (1208 E. Kennedy Blvd 33602). Parking is available at the parking garage located at the Grand Central at Kennedy. The event is sponsored by Tampa Bay Markets. Make sure to bring cash in case some food trucks are cash-only.

10-15 food trucks will be in attendance at this event. Short films and live music will rotate every 1/2 hour and local beer will be provided by the Pour House in the courtyard at Grand Central. Rob Irie will be performing live music. I haven’t had the chance to make it out to this event yet, but hope to check it out in the future.

More information available at: http://www.tampabaymarkets.com/flicks-and-food-trucks

Carlos Eats is seeking sponsors.

Are you interested in having your business promoted and help with promotion of upcoming food-related events? Carlos Eats has a growing network that you can connect with through this website and social media. The goal of this effort it to help me reach more people (possibly due a site re-design upgrade), grow the site, and help raise funds to increase the number of restaurants exposed on Carlos Eats and help me get to some restaurants that might be hard to access.

Note: Reviews cannot be purchased as I value my integrity and connection with my readers (as should you!). However, a food tasting is always a great way to get connect.

Alternatively, if you would just like to leave a donation, you can leave a donation here (no Paypal account necessary). Your support is appreciated!

If you’re interested please fill out a contact form!

Thank you! Expect some updates soon. (Back to exams… )

Easter was a nice chance to kick back with the family and enjoy some home cooking. My sister did not disappoint the family. She hosted a feast with steak, chicken skewers, mashed potatoes (using my Mom’s famous recipe), chips and homemade salsa, flan, and more! We also now have a ton of candy in the house thanks to some overestimating on egg stuffing choices. It’s like Halloween all over again.

Here are some photos:

I ordered takeout from the relatively new Lemon Grass Thai Kitchen in Riverview. When the Great Recession hit business almost hit a halt in this area. It is nice to see the area growing again now that the economy is in recovery. Normally I am a little cautious to order Thai takeout because my history with it has been pretty awful. Normally my Pad Thai is dry and sauceless by the time it gets home. I am happy to say that this was not the case with Lemon Grass!

The Chicken Pad Thai tasted as fresh as if I was in the restaurant for dinner and it was priced reasonably as well at around $10 if I remember correctly. The color of the noodles shows there was plenty of sauce and there was plenty of chicken mixed in. They were also quite generous with the noodles, normally unheard of in my past with Thai takeout orders.

The lady at the register was friendly as well. She informed me that they have a lunch buffet for under $10. Thai lunch buffet within minutes of my house!? You know I am going back. It is good to have a Thai restaurant closer to home (although I do still love Ploy Thai and Jasmine Thai). I’m excited for growth in Riverview.

Name: Lemon Grass Thai Kitchen

Cuisine: Thai

Neighborhood: Riverview

Address: 11106 Bloomingdale Ave. Riverview, FL 33578

Phone Number: (813) 654-0671

Website: http://www.lemongrassbestthai.biz

Last Updated 02/25/12

Today’s technologically savvy society has led many restaurants and bars to find their way onto Twitter. This is a list of restaurants and bars in Tampa Bay who are using Twitter to interact with customers.

Bern’s Fine Wines

Bern’s Steak House

Burger 21

BurgerMonger

Cafe Hey

Ciccio’s Lodge

East Coast Pizza

Fly Bar

Gaspar’s Grotto

Island Girl Cakes

J. Baja’s Mexican Grill

Jaymer-Q Southern BBQ

The Lime

Ocean Blue Sushi

Pinkberry

Pizza Fusion

The Rack

The Refinery

Rumbero’s Bistro

Renzo’s Gourmet

SideBern’s

Sushi Tsu

Taco Bus

Tampa Bay Brewing Company

Tarpon Turtle

Taste Cafe

Timpano

Tomo Sushi

The View at CK’s

Villa Rina Pizza

Don’t see your restaurant listed? Send an e-mail to carloseats@gmail.com

It would seem that almost every restaurant in Tampa Bay is having some kind of Valentines Day special for the big day of love. Here is a listing of some of the specials I have noticed, for the late-minute diner like myself. Even if you don’t have a Valentine – you might want to have a bite on some of these deals.

Bernini: This delicious Italian restaurant in Ybor City is offering 1/2 price pastas and entrees all week long until 7PM. $2 Finlandia Martinis. (813) 248-0099

BurgerMonger: Famous for its delicious Akaushi Kobe Beef – BurgerMonger will be giving away chocolate-covered strawberries to couples (while supplies last) on Valentines Day. They say the quickest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach – and a BurgerMonger burger sure does please my stomach! (813) 968-6860

Cafe Kili: Dixie Blue will play an eclectic mix of country, early rock and roll, and cajun songs for visitors starting at 7PM. Special drinks will be on the menu including the Red Velvet Frappe and Raspberry White Mocha.  (813) 988-2879

Ceviche Tapas Bar and Restaurant: The usual $4 tapas menu will be in effect Tuesday at Ceviche, in addition to two lovers specials: Mixed Grill and Mixed Fish specials for $39. First-come, first-serve basis. Numerous locations around Tampa Bay and Orlando.

Datz: Special cocktails, entrees, and desserts will be sold for V-Day. Some examples are pink polka dot pancakes and cherry martinis. (813) 831-7000

Fly Bar & Restaurant: Open 4PM-3AM. Patio dining and rooftop deck in Downtown Tampa. Live jazz music from 8-11PM and dinner. (813) 275-5000

Origami Sushi (Hillsborough): Free dessert on Valentines Day. Happy Hour 3-7PM with $1 sushi rolls. All beverages reduced price. (813) 878-2145

Pelagia Trattoria: This hidden Italian restaurant in the International Plaza will have a special Valentines Day menu available fro 5:30-10PM. Some things on the menu include lobster bisque, veal osso buco, and Godiva chocolate cake. (813) 313-3235

The Rack: Valentines Day blues troubling you? The Rack will have happy hour all night long on Valentines Day, in addition to their regular Tuesday specials. (813) 250-1595

The Refinery: Special Valentines Day menu available at this hot spot Tampa restaurant. The steak tartare sure caught my eye. Make sure to call ahead – they may already be filled to max capacity. (813) 237-2000

Senor Taco: Lots of buzz online for this Pinellas Park Mexican restaurant lately. Taco Tuesday brings tacos to the amazing price of $1. (727) 289-7080

Soobak: This excellent Davis Island Asian restaurant is offering a 5-course Valentines Day dinner which includes salad, appetizer, sushi, choice of meat, and dessert for $35 per person (+tax). Be sure to call ahead as space is limited. (813) 258-3377.

SoHo Sushi North: USF-area SoHo Sushi will feature a $55 (+tax) special for couples featuring 2 soups, 2 salads, 2 drinks, 2 sushi rolls, and dessert. (813) 977-8744

Spain Restaurant & Toma Bar: Offering a 4-course pre-fix menu for $45 per person (+tax) includes 1 alcoholic beverage, appetizer, salad , entree, and dessert. Live romantic music from 6-9PM. Regular menu also available. (813) 223-2831

Wimauma: The current talk of Tampa Bay. Special Valentines Day menu available for $40 per person (+tax).  (813) 793-1687

I went to Soobak with some friends last month was impressed with how good the food there was. Arriving early (for friends who always arrive late), I decided to order a California Roll to start my meal and was surprised with the generous portions and fresh taste of the roll.

All the sushi rolls were delicious, including the eel handroll I tried. I am normally not a huge fan of complex rolls, but the Soobak Signature Roll, which features katsu lobster, salmon, krab delight, avocado, masago, tempura deep-fried with eel sauce, was delicious! Prices were extremely reasonable with their most expensive roll being under $10.

The galbi bento box (pictured below) has plenty of rice and the ginger salad was excellent – trust me it will be hard to find LA galbi (the one you see in the USA) for less than $10 anywhere (even for lunch). The pieces of galbi were savory, sweet, bone-licking goodness.  The miso soup that I added on was also worth the extra $1.

One of the most interest parts of the meal was the Korean Taco with Bulgogi. It was absolutely amazing. $6.95 for two, but fully-loaded with plenty of ingredients inside – there is nothing like it in Tampa Bay.

We sampled the frozen yogurt and it was surprisingly delicious (I’m not a huge fan of frozen yogurt because it normally hurts my sensitive teeth) – the taro was flavorful and went down easy. The place is small, but they have a big enough table for lunch with a few friends. Location-wise it’s close to Downtown and South Tampa – easily accessible from a bridge in the middle of the two. Parking is in the street – you might not be able to park in front, but there are plenty of public parking spots in the area.

Overall, this place has plenty of different Asian dishes at affordable prices and with great tastes so I will be back for many more trips to this Asian spot on Davis Island. Make sure you sign up for a rewards card!

Fun fact: Soobak means watermelon in Korean.

Restaurant Name: Soobak

Cuisine: Korean, Japanese

Neighborhood: Davis Island

Address: 218 E. Davis Blvd. Tampa, FL 33606

Phone Number: (813) 258-3377

Website: http://www.facebook.com/soobaksushi

The popular Chocolate Sunday event in Clearwater that I covered last year on my food blog will return this weekend, January 21-22, and is now a two-day event: Sweet Saturday and Chocolate Sunday and is once again sponsored by Tampa Bay Woman Newspaper. I can still taste the chocolate covered bacon that was provided by The Vine last year…delicious. I will be in attendance this weekend and you have a chance to win free tickets as well in my latest giveaway!

How to win: “Like” Carlos Eats on Facebook and post about your favorite chocolate vendor in Tampa Bay. You can gain 1 additional entry by sharing this post with your friends on Facebook from the fan page. I can view who shares the page from my fan page. Hurry because winners will be  randomly drawn Tomorrow, January 20th, at 5:00PM. Finally make sure you comment below so I can have your contact e-mail in case you win! If chosen, I will send the organizer your name for ticket pickup.

You can also take advantage of this $5.00 off coupon provided to me by the Chocolate Sunday organizers. I hope you’ll be enjoying the goods this weekend like I will. :]

Event Name: Sweet Saturday & Chocolate Sunday

Address: 1111 McMullen Booth Road Clearwater, FL 33759

Dates: January 21-22, 2012 – 11AM-6PM

Website: http://chocolate-sunday.com/

You can catch the Mayor’s Food Truck Fiesta at Lykes Gaslight Park in downtown Tampa this Wednesday, January 4th of 2012. There are 4 newcomers that will appear this week.

Keepin’ it Reel – NEW
Jimmy Meatball – NEW
Americanwiener – NEW (featuring “The Buckhorn”: All beef wiener with chili, cheese and pickled jalapeno)
Bollywood Cafe- NEW
Maggie on the Move
Wicked ‘Wiches
The Killer Samich Truck
Burger Culture
Fire Monkey Food Truck
The Taco Bus

2012 is certainly going to be a good year for food trucks and food lovers!